A/N - For some strange reason, I'm out of witty Authors Notes. I can't even apologize for the delay 'cause OMG, shock horror, this chapter is within a week of the last one.

Thank you to EVERYONE who's reviewed. You guys make this SO much fun to write. I love watching the reactions to the chapters I post.

And a massive thanks to Ando, once again for beta'ing, couldn't have done it without you snookums!

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:Jack:

Being away from the SGC had been like a bad dream, and I was eternally grateful to be home. The place was still the same as I remembered it. The walls were the same dull gray shade, sparkling under the buzzing fluorescent lights. Tight hallways that led to places I'd never visited in all my years there, dull, unadorned rooms and hard, military issue beds.

The newly promoted Staff Sergeant Walter Davis, or Chevron Guy, as he'd come to be known, was still at the controls, overseeing the Stargate as it slowly came to life. The mechanical chug of the Stargate powering up sent a wave of nostalgia through me, and I glanced to my right at Carter.

She seemed to sense my gaze on her, her eyes finding mine almost simultaneously. She smiled, softly and with warmth, "I'm glad you're here."

I swallowed hard. Being around Carter had never been hard before, but after my epiphany regarding my feelings for her, it suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe, whenever I saw her smile like that.

"Glad to be here too Carter."

I shouldn't have come back. This was possibly the stupidest plan I'd ever come up with. Carter's eyes drifted back to the Stargate as Davis announced the fourth chevron had engaged, but my own bored into the back of her head, until she suddenly turned to face me again, and my eyes darted back to the gate room below.

"I should be getting down there." She smiled again, "Don't let the General push you around."

Carters smile induced one of my own, "Wouldn't dream of it Colonel." I jutted my chin out to indicate the Stargate, "How long you going for?"

Carter shrugged, "A few days maybe. They've been having problems with one of the Naquadah reactors, half the complex is down."

I nodded absently, not really interested, and then watched as Sam descended the stairs. In front of me, The Chevron Guy turned in his chair, watching me for a moment. I cocked my head to the side, curious as to what he was thinking.

He opened his mouth, still watching me, and I got my answer.

"Chevron Seven Locked."

----

Unfortunately for me, being their top strategist meant I wasn't going on any off world missions anymore. I had to keep reminding myself I was there in an 'advisory capacity' only.

The SGC operated differently now with the immediate threat of the Goa'uld looming over their heads. Most of the SG teams were assigned to the Alpha site as a skeleton crew to keep it running until the population it was designed for moved in.

Knowing they would, especially if the Goa'uld wiped us out, be permanently stuck on another planet for the rest of their lives, the 'Alpha Crew' - everyone of them volunteers, essentially made up of the best and brightest people ever to walk the face of the Earth - would only leave their friends and loved ones at the last possible moment.

The SG teams left, including SG-1, now lead by the enigmatic Colonel Shane Russell, had been, up until this point, sabotaging known Goa'uld locations. Now that the Goa'uld where in hyperspace, the teams were split up, temporarily re-assigned to stations more fitting of each of their characteristics. Daniel was sent to the Alpha site to play peacekeeper. Hayley went with him for lack of anything better to do with her.

I was assigned with Teal'c, Russell and a few of the more senior SG personnel, as we struggled to come up with our last line of defence.

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:Sam:

I got back to the SGC three days later. For the most part, my internal clock was tuned in to the Alpha Sites rather bizarre cycle, and the 29 hour day had finally drawn to a close when I'd 'Gated home. My watch told me it was close to 5am earth time and the SGC was just starting to buzz with activity.

Absolutely exhausted, without thought I got in my car and drove, and I concentrated on the cars in front of me, and not particularly in the direction in which I was heading.

Which was why, as I pulled up to the curb, I was surprised to find myself out side of Jack's house.

My ex-commanding officer was standing on his front lawn, newspaper in one hand, and a frisky, black, white and copper Australian Sheppard at his feet. I'd gotten him the small dog just after Guy had proposed to me, and the two had bonded almost instantaneously. The dog, Whiskey, saw my car before Jack did, and shot towards it on his too large puppy paws. He reached the car as I opened the door, and I scooped down to pick him up.

"Hey Carter." Jack called, and I heard the surprise in his voice. By the look of him, I was pretty sure he'd just woken up. I smiled, heading across the lawn towards him, my fingers already tangled in Whiskey's thick winter coat.

"I didn't know you were back."

"Just then." I replied, keeping my attention focused on Whiskey. The young pup suddenly leaped from my hands, paused a moment to sniff the ground, then started running in circles around Jack's feet, tripping over them in the process.

I laughed at his antics, and then glanced at Jack.

His eyes locked directly with mine, and for a brief second, I saw something, but it disappeared the instant he found me returning his gaze. Something in his eyes that stirred a feeling deep within me. I suddenly found myself not breathing, the intensity of that split second moment overwhelming.

Jack averted his eyes quickly, somehow realizing he'd given away something just by looking at me. I couldn't explain it, the sudden change. Like a mask had slipped over his features, he was back to the same relaxed, casual Jack I was used too. But there was something, something in that look that was familiar, and oddly disquieting.

He invited me in, and we sat down for a large cup of Jack's coffee, before he asked me the dreaded question.

"So, Carter, what brings you to my door step?"

I didn't have an answer for him.

----

:Jack:

Carter was silent after my question, peering into her coffee cup like it contained the answers to the Goa'uld threat. I watched her, silently wondering at the oddness of the situation. Before she had married Guy, I would never have dreamed of asking Carter why she was showing up at my house.

Her being with me was a good enough reason.

But now, it seemed....wrong, for Mrs Guy Robinson to be making social calls to anyone of the opposite sex. Or perhaps it was my paranoia talking. Just because I was having other then regulation thoughts towards Carter, didn't mean she was thinking the same thing. This, to her mind, was probably perfectly normal.

And yet....she still didn't answer my question.

----

:Sam:

I shouldn't be here. My head was a whirl of thoughts, but the only one that kept making a reoccurrence was the knowledge that being alone with Jack was not a good idea.

And I still couldn't answer his question.

Every reason I came up with didn't seem good enough. Looking up at Jack, seeing the curiosity etched on his face, I wondered why I needed a reason. Before he'd left the SGC....No, even after that, I hadn't needed a reason. But now....I suddenly realized, stupidly, that it wasn't us that needed the reason.

It was Guy. If he knew I'd come over here, I'd have to give him a reason. Something a little more tangible then 'because I wanted to see him'.

"Actually." I winced, knowing this wasn't going to come out well, "I'm not exactly sure how I got here. I was driving home from the base and...." I trailed off; looking back into my coffee cup, and then my eyes darted back to Jack, judging his reaction.

I'm not sure what I had been expecting, but his warm smile defiantly wasn't it. I returned the smile, somewhat hesitantly, and then watched as he got up and started moving around the kitchen, cleaning up.

After a beat, I got up to help him, standing beside him as he washed up. Side by side, his arm brushing by mine every few moments, I felt more relaxed and at ease then I had for while. Even as fatigue was nipping at my heels, standing with Jack in his kitchen was better then being at home trying to sleep.

Focused as I was on drying up, and not falling face first into the soapy dishwater, Jack's gaze once against settled on me. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the intensity of his eyes. It sent shivers down my spine. That look....

Suddenly, almost like a flash of imagery, I remembered why that particular look was so familiar.

PX9-757. Tok'ra. Atanik armbands.

It had been late the previous year that Jack and I had come to the same conclusion regarding our feelings for each other, but because of our dedication to our work, we'd never discussed it. But when Jack had thought I was going to die, when he wouldn't leave me....he allowed those feelings to surface. As I screamed for him to go and save himself, the sound of the Jaffa behind me getting louder every passing moment, he stood his ground, stubbornly refusing to let me die alone. And I'd seen. In his eyes, his face, his posture, his words. The feelings he carried for me were so strong, they'd made themselves known unbidden. At that precise moment, the love I saw in him for me was overpowering, washing over me, and ultimately breaking my heart. Because of that love, he was willing to die then live without me.

After we'd gotten back to the SGC, alive, we'd tried to push those feelings back, but like Pandora's Box, once opened, they just wouldn't go back in. But that particular look I'd never witnessed again.

----

:Jack:

Aww crap. Carter's body had gone ridged, her hands still, clutching the glass in her hands so tightly I was afraid she might break it. With delicate control, she breathed in, deeply, trying to clam herself, then slowly, her breathing still deep, she turned to face me.

Emotions played across her eyes, the deep blue pools of intelligence were full of shock and confusion, and I mentally kicked myself. I'd tried so hard to control myself around her. Tried to relax and act like my heart wasn't aching by just the smell of her. But it hadn't worked, and now she knew. I wasn't sure entirely how, but there was no mistaking the look on her face.

I'd seen it before.

The last time I'd allowed myself to feel for her, she'd had the same look of helplessness on her face as she did now. Wishing she could help, but knowing it was completely out of her hands.

She took a step back, then carefully placed the glass back on the dish rack. Her eyes refused to meet mine.

"I should go." She murmured, and I had no words for her.

I watched, helpless, as she gave Whiskey a pat good bye, and left my house.

----

:Sam:

I practically fled to my car. My heart was pounding in my ears, and finally out of Jack's presences I let out an explosive breath, trying to control my rapid pulse. I got to my car, leaning against it, letting my breathing slow.

When I'd looked at him directly, that same, open look of longing was still on his face, not able, or not willing to hide it.

And, just as before, all those years ago, it had stirred something deep within me that I thought I'd put away for good. When I'd met Guy, I was certain that I'd lost all romantic feelings I'd had for Jack.

I was wrong.

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As some of you may or may not know, Richard Dean Anderson owned an Australian Sheppard a long long time ago, back in his Macgyver days, called Whiskey. RDA's long term companion passed away in '89', so this is my own lil (belated) tribute.

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